KINGSTON, N.Y. — Dozens of tenants, tenant advocates, and a few landlords shared their stories at City Hall on Thursday during a public hearing addressing the future of rent control in the city under the Emergency Tenant Protection Act.

Thursday night’s public hearing, which lasted more than two hours and saw nearly every bench in the Council Chambers full, came as the Common Council prepares to enter a “legislative findings” process in which it will determine if a housing emergency declaration and rent control protections under ETPA will remain for the approximately 1,000 units under the act.

Renters, ranging from teachers to state workers to small business owners, shared stories of their landlords increasing rents, maintenance issues and intentionally holding back units by not listing

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